140: Chapter 136: The Afterglow of the Worldly Society 140: Chapter 136: The Afterglow of the Worldly Society Gusu returned with Tang Buqi, but Zhao Changhe rode behind a huge convoy on Wuzhui, while Tang Buqi hid inside the carriage, drinking wine and feeding grapes to a maid.

Zhao Changhe felt envious but didn’t wish to watch something that made him want to punch someone, so he kept his distance.

It was supposed to be a journey for his nephew to gain experience in the Worldly Society, even though Zhao Changhe didn’t understand what there was left to experience for someone who was twenty-four, married, and only ranked as number 102 on the Hidden Dragon List and at the Mystical Gate Fourth Layer…

He might as well have honestly waited until he was twenty-five to leave the rank, managed some family properties, and freed up a spot on the list.

Indeed, Zhao Changhe broadly guessed that it isn’t likely for Tang Buqi to reach the Mystical Gate Fourth Layer only at the age of twenty-four; making it on the Hidden Dragon List must have happened quite early, and he just hadn’t progressed much in recent years.

Gaining early success, he started to loaf about; the family protected him too well, which made him lack hardship, and no one from the outside dared to trouble him.

Such an environment could easily lead to stagnation or even regression, he thought.

In fact, although the Tang family wasn’t comparable to the Cui family, compared to other families, with Tang Wanzhuang in the Earth List and Tang Buqi in the Hidden Dragon List, they still had a generational continuity without any gaps.

Many families with no one on any lists were unknowingly dwindling away, indulging in the glory of their ancestors.

In a sense, the Chaotic World Book had its benefits, often serving as a wake-up call, reminding them, “Hey, no one from your family is on the list anymore.” Without this wretched book’s encouragement, families like the Tang and Cui would likely decline, which was almost a certainty.

The case with Tang Buqi—he still had potential, if he was willing to make an effort again.

Probably, this outing was for that purpose.

Anyway, although it was for training, he hadn’t traveled far from home; just reaching Yangzhou when he found out Zhao Changhe was headed to Gusu, Tang Buqi, after much thought, guessed that this matter might affect his family if it truly involved Gusu, so he returned as well.

The official reason was that he was supposed to show a guest around, but in reality, he hadn’t even faced Zhao Changhe once during the trip; isn’t the maid pleasing enough?

Zhao Changhe, frustrated to the teeth yet knowing he needed the Tang family’s help in Gusu, refrained from beating him…

To think he gave this guy a chance to gloat, what a miscalculation.

Perhaps it would be better to travel alone, so as to avoid getting angry at Tang Buqi’s annoying behavior.

As he was thinking this, a shadow flashed ahead, dashing straight toward Tang Buqi’s carriage.

Zhao Changhe spurred his horse and wielded his sword, racing forward, instinctively planning to lend a hand… Despite his irritation, he had to admit the guy had some merit.

However, as he had initially been quite far away, by the time his horse reached there, the other party had already escaped the carriage, waving a bellyband and laughing, “The young master of the Tang family’s bellyband should fetch a nice price~”

Tang Buqi, flustered and exasperated, leapt from the carriage holding up his trousers, “Ji Chengkong!

I’ve done nothing to offend you!”

“Zhao Changhe and Wan Dongliu’s friend, huh?

I might not dare to offend them, but I can’t offend you?”

Tang Buqi: “?”

Zhao Changhe: “…”

Facing Tang Buqi’s agitated look, Zhao Changhe silently drew his bow and arrow and with a “whoosh,” pinned an arrow in the tree trunk right in front of Ji Chengkong.

Ji Chengkong, breaking out in a cold sweat, angrily said, “Zhao Changhe, are you trying to start a deadly feud with me?”

Zhao Changhe sighed exasperatedly, “Buddy, that day you started the trouble by trying to touch me, and I punched you back into the river.

Even today, I aimed the arrow at the tree trunk, not your head.”

In a leap, Ji Chengkong flipped in midair, lightly stepping on the arrow, and said coldly, “All I touched was a bellyband, not quite the same as stabbing with a dagger.”

“So neither of us really holds a deep grudge against the other, can we resolve this grievance?” Zhao Changhe said, “I don’t know if Wan Dongliu told you, but I intended to have him let you go that day.”

Ji Chengkong hesitated for a moment.

When Wan Dongliu let him go, he did indeed casually mention it was at the behest of Zhao Changhe.

Ji initially didn’t believe it, assuming Wan Dongliu let him go because he feared his Thief Sect and didn’t want to lose face, hence came up with an excuse.

But now that Zhao Changhe himself said so, and it matched up, it seemed it wasn’t just an excuse made up by Wan Dongliu on the spot.

In fact, the reality was a bit of both.

Zhao Changhe had indeed spoken out that day, but he had released the person later because Wan Dongliu was afraid of the Thief Sect.

He hesitated slightly and asked, “I don’t know you, and as you just said, it was I who provoked you first, so why would you speak up for me?”

Zhao Changhe said, “Firstly, it’s because I am new here and it’s hard to distinguish good from evil.

You might be a good person, and Wan Dongliu might be the villain…

Besides, if I say that I am interested in all kinds of extraordinary and eccentric people and wish to make friends, would you find it unbelievable?”

Ji Chengkong was even more surprised, pointing to his nose, “Someone like me?

A thief?

An extraordinary and eccentric person?”

Zhao Changhe smiled slightly, saying nothing.

Had this happened in the modern world, encountering a thief would only make one want to beat them to death, especially if they touched his belongings.

But in a fantasy martial arts world, the standards of judgment seemed to subtly change.

Thief Leader Ye Liuxiang was still there, Flying Dragon with the Cloud-Seeking Hand was still there.

In many stories, Thief King and Saint were not mainly antagonists; they had their own charms, making him feel that such people were different from the thieves he knew.

Although in his heart, he vaguely knew they were mostly similar…

But this Ji Chengkong truly was interesting, just like this incident of stealing the bellyband.

Could he be called interesting?

Seeing Zhao Changhe’s attitude, Ji Chengkong actually felt a bit of amazement and laughed, “Interesting, interesting.

I didn’t expect Blood Shura to be such a person.

Our gratitude and grievances are cleared; if I have the chance, I’ll treat you to a drink!”

After speaking, he casually threw, and the bellyband spun back, and while Tang Buqi went to catch it, Ji Chengkong had already disappeared with a few leaps.

This Qinggong was truly powerful…

That day, had it not been for Zhao Changhe’s interference, Wan Dongliu really felt he couldn’t have caught him.

Tang Buqi returmed, holding the bellyband and sulkily said, “Just because I ignored you along the way, doesn’t mean you should get along with the thief who stole the bellyband, right?”

Zhao Changhe replied irritably, “Even if I had joined in, could I have caught him?

Wan Dongliu doesn’t want to completely offend this group of people.

They come and go without a trace; everyone finds them troublesome.

What’s wrong with resolving the enmity?”

“Your point is good, very reasonable,” Tang Buqi said expressionlessly.

“However, I have no quarrel with him, so how did this bellyband end up stolen from me?”

“…” Zhao Changhe looked away, “Wan Dongliu locked him up for so long, and you have a good relationship with Wan Dongliu.”

“So it has nothing to do with you at all, right?” Tang Buqi snorted coldly.

“I don’t care about your relationship with the Demon Suppression Department, but I must remind you, including Ji Chengkong and his master Ye Wuzong, all of them are wanted by the Demon Suppression Department.

Do you still want to make friends with wonderful and eccentric people?”

Zhao Changhe was silent.

“Regardless of what these thieves intended to do, they might have pursued something very stylish…

However, between officials and thieves, you always have to choose a side.” Tang Buqi became serious.

“Heroes are the same; do you think you stand in the middle?

In the eyes of the officials, you are no different from thieves, and in the eyes of thieves, you’re like a dog chasing mice.”

Zhao Changhe looked at him in surprise.

Was this Tang Buqi?

Or was it Tang Wanzhuang pretending?

Tang Buqi said indifferently, “In the storybooks, everyone admires heroes, yet among today’s worldly society, among the younger generation, there is only one Yue Hongling.

Why is her Sword Intent like the setting sun glow?

Because that is the last twilight of the worldly society.”

Zhao Changhe looked at him in shock for a while, then suddenly laughed, “When the Magistrate was assassinated, why did you say that the real killer wasn’t worth investigating, since it was all a matter of righteousness anyway?”

Tang Buqi paused and fell silent.

Zhao Changhe patted his shoulder, “The hero has always been here; it’s you.”

He rode his horse leisurely forward for a while, then suddenly laughed, “Remember not to speak so formally next time; it really doesn’t suit you…

When it comes from your mouth, I get thrown out of the scene.”

“Dammit,” Tang Buqi muttered angrily as he tossed the bellyband back into the carriage and then stuck his head out to shout, “Don’t stray too far from the group on your own; come have a drink.”